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Being one of the unpure (as Tom Notch said)
whats everyone using for radiators and fans
for there water cooled conversions.

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72 Vert(Rotary engine conversion in process)

Twelve years ago I put a Honda Civic 1200in a 66 bug....Thought I should have a heater that worked better. Still have car , still running . Mounted Honda radiator in the spare tire well with an opening in the sheetmetal where the bottom of the tire would set with an air dam just behind the opening and an opening behind the radiator to let it flow through. Used the Honda electric cooling fan. Probably could have used a little bit larger radiator but thats what I had at the time and space is somewhat of a problem.

Hi
Im using a cutdown Ford Transit radiator. I was using a 5 series BMW one. Im using a Audi 5E fan and cowling. My bug is a super like yours so I used the AC front apron and fitted the biggest radiator I could fit. I have uploaded some snaps and you can read a bit more about my bug here. http://www.clubvw.org.au/steve.htm
I also made a little air deflector the other day and it has made a real differnce to the way the car cools. I will post pics of this when they are developed.
Regards Steve C

[This message has been edited by Steve C (edited 01-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Steve C (edited 01-19-2001).]

The MOST important thing when creating a cooling system is ducting and fan shrouding.

Steve, I can barely see a cover over the front directing air into the radiator, if you don't have a tight seal from the air intake to the FULL frontal area of the radiator, you are going to loose VALUABLE cooling air. If it is not SEALED the air will go the way of least resistance, and that is NOT through the cooling fins. ANd your fan is doing very little also, if it is not shrouded up to the FULL radiator, you might as well have a radiator only as big as the fan.

And of course the air has to have a place to exit that is equal to or larger than the intake.

I have seen plenty of home builts that the owners gave up on by not following these rules, you can have a radiator twice that big and it won't cool the water if these rules aren't applyed.

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Always a Bug lover, just got a 72 Beetle, my first.

By the way, look into Street Rod supply stores, they have some great shrouds that are "blanks" that you cut the holes you need for your fans. They also have six and eight blade fans that are much better than the little four blade your using.
Try cooling a blown big block with an 18X24" radiator!

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Always a Bug lover, just got a 72 Beetle, my first.

Thanks for the ideas guys I'll let you see
mine when I get it set up.

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72 Vert(Rotary engine conversion in process)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MARTINSR:
<B> Steve, I can barely see a cover over the front directing air into the radiator.
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi
The photos I posted where in the constuction stage. The car has been running since 1988 but as i plan to turbo my motor I thought I might build in some reserve in the system. The fan and shroud is from an Audi 100 and has been designed by VW/Audi to cool a larger car and motor with AC. The shroud has rubber flaps that are able open when the car is moving and close off when the fan is running so that all of the air is drawn from through the radiator.
I have tried to not to cut big holes in the front of the car to let air in so I used an AC front apron.
Regards Steve C

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve C:
The fan and shroud is from an Audi 100 and has been designed by VW/Audi to cool a larger car and motor with AC. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
But remember the car had a large frontal area WITH a grille to catch the air and push it into the radiator.

Obviously I am not saying your car doesn't work that would be foolish, I am just refering to the basic design and how if it were over heating, this is what you would look for. Also, if you are building a new car go by these rulse and maybe the over heating would never be an issue.
I do have to say, I love seeing people do things like this, it takes brains and imagination. Unlike a number of other car hobbies that are all about bolting on store bought items.
Please understand I am not ripping on your car. I am just talking like we would be if we were in a garage looking over the cars in the shop.


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Always a Bug lover, just got a 72 Beetle, my first.

Hi MARTINSR
Its hard sometimes to get across what you are trying to say on a keyboard. What we are doing here is what we call down under "bench racing". I appreciate your points and they will surely help all that visit here, after all thats why Im here to share and to learn.
I read a story in V8 style mag once about cooling and it said that you get better cooling by having the radiator slighly tilted so that when the air goes through it gets a much better contact radiator surface.
Im considering using an electric water pump on my car. http://www.daviescraig.com.au/ Have you heard of this?
Regards Steve C

Thanks for understanding Steve. Yes the info you read is something I have seen and makes sense. A Vette from '63 on up have a slanted radiator and a very small grille for air and they work, so it may even overcome the reduced air by using the little it gets more efficient.
The photo below is of my most challenging cooling project was my mid engine '48 Chevy pickup. It had the motor between the seats and radiator in the stock location. Cooling a Buick nailhead is tough under the best of circumstances. I think the saving grace was the large grille and large exit area for the air. Just thought I'd show you one of my projects.


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Always a Bug lover, just got a 72 Beetle, my first.